A well equipped toolbox is essential for completing jobs around the home – everything from hanging a picture frame to putting together furniture or doing major home improvements.
A universal toolbox should include these 10 essential tools:
Screwdriver set
From prying the lids off paint cans to opening child-proof battery compartments, screwdrivers are must-have tools. Aim for flat- and Phillips-head screwdrivers in various sizes; you can often buy these in kits. Look for magnetic tips and comfortable grips to make screwing or unscrewing easier. See Art of Manliness on how to use a screwdriver and more than you might care to know.
Claw hammer
No toolbox would be complete without a solid hammer. One end is used to drive nails in, the other side to pull (usually bent) nails out of wood or a wall. Recommended, generally, is a hammer with a 40 cm handle weighing about 450 g. Rubber, plastic, or vinyl handles offer shock absorption and a better grip.
Pliers
Locking, adjustable pliers, also known as plier wrenches, lever-wrench pliers and vise grips, are very versatile. Because they lock in place, they can be used as a clamp or, as mentioned above, in lieu of a wrench, a wire cutter, or more. Generally recommended is a standard 5-10W size for this plier.
Adjustable wrench
An adjustable, crescent wrench is like having multiple wrenches in one. You’ll need one to tighten nuts and bolts and loosen plumbing fixtures.
Tape measure
You may have heard the saying “measure twice, cut once”. Well, you need a tape measure for that and to do other things, such as making sure furniture will fit into a room and measuring windows for blinds. Tape measures come in varying widths, with the wider widths easier to support with one hand when extended.
Level
No more crookedly hung photos! A level ensures you don’t hang or install anything (including your flat-screen TV and shelves) less than horizontally perfect. In a pinch you could use one of many mobile apps that serve as a virtual level, but a longer 0,9 m to 1,2 m metal level (which can double as a straight edge) will go a long way. For hands-free levelling, a laser level is your friend.
Utility knife
For opening boxes, sharpening pencils, and more, the utility knife is a toolbox workhorse. Buying one with built-in blade storage and rubber-covered handles for comfort is highly recommended.
Work light or flashlight
You’ll need a flashlight for your emergency kit anyway, but you could get a dedicated LED light, head lamp or work lamp to make sure you’re sawing/screwing/nailing, or otherwise DIYing correctly in low or no light.
Electric Drill
Although you can go without a drill for a while, or resort to borrowing one when needed, sooner or later most handy people will need one – and after getting one, find it indispensable. Cordless drills are convenient for working anywhere, but the corded kinds cost less and don’t require expensive battery replacements. Whichever type you get, an electric drill not only drills holes and drives screws, but, with different bits, also sands and grinds materials, stirs paint and even super-powers your pepper production.
Hacksaw
A hacksaw cuts through wood and even metal and plastic pipes. Look for the kind you can easily replace with new blades on.
